


Coffee and Cake

by Musyc



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Community: girlsavesboyfic, Draco Malfoy - character, F/M, Fluff, Hermione Granger - character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-07
Updated: 2010-10-07
Packaged: 2017-10-12 12:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musyc/pseuds/Musyc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco is at a loss in Muggle London. Hermione buys him a coffee, for starters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee and Cake

**Author's Note:**

> I tried and tried to come up with an epic!save, but my brain didn't want to work with me. I went for something a little more subtle instead. Fluffy and sweet for my Dramione friends. Sort of a prequel to an idea I've been tossing around. ;) Written for [The Girl Saves Boy Challenge](http://community.livejournal.com/girlsavesboyfic) on Livejournal.

"If you haven't the money, mate, step out of the queue. People waiting, you know."

Hermione went up on her toes and looked to the front of the cafe, trying to figure out who was holding up the queue. The platinum blond hair was familiar, but she told herself that she was imagining things. There was no possibility that Draco Malfoy could be in a cafe in the middle of Kensington. The man turned, digging in his pocket, and his pointed nose came into view. Hermione held her breath and stared. It was him.

"Well, you buying or not?"

The clerk behind the till glared at Malfoy, who shoved his fringe out of his eyes. "I'd intended to," he said, his vowels sharp enough to cut the glass of the pastry case. "However, it seems that I've misplaced my money."

"Then out of the queue, pointy."

Hermione wasn't certain what made her do it, but she hurried up to the front and thumped her heavy bag onto the counter. "There you are," she said, giving Malfoy a bright smile. His stunned expression was rather satisfying. "Been looking all over for you."

"Oh, er. Oh, of course." He said with a wild-eyed look. "I'm, er. I'm glad you found me. It seems I ... find myself a bit short. Excellent timing on your part, really. If you'd be so kind as to cover me?"

Hermione thought about refusing, just to see how embarrassed he could get, but stopped herself. She supposed she was more curious about just what he was doing in Kensington, in a Muggle cafe, than she was interested in humiliating him. "No problem," she said and turned to the clerk. "I'll have green tea and a slice of the yellow pound cake, plus whatever he's ordered." She leaned back in surprise when Malfoy's drink was set in front of them. A tall glass mug, looking heavy enough to cave in a man's skull, it was full to the brim of milky coffee, topped with three inches of whipped cream that had been liberally dusted with cocoa powder and rainbow sprinkles. "Is that _coffee_?" she asked with a laugh. "Or did someone liquefy an entire sweet shop for you?"

"I like sugar," Malfoy said. He folded his arms and cocked one hip against the counter. "Fine one to talk, you," he added, as the pound cake landed next to his coffee. "That thing looks like it's nothing but sweet."

"Best in the city," she said, lifting her chin. She paid the bill and slung her bag over her shoulder. "C'mon, bring all that." She headed for her favorite table in the corner of the cafe without a glance back.

It took Malfoy a minute to gather up a tray with their order, and he set it on the round table with a petulant glare. "Carrying my own order, what is the world coming to?"

"You didn't pay for it, so technically it's my order. Quit your whining." Hermione took the small pot of milk off the tray and mixed a spoonful into her tea. "Why exactly were you ordering coffee in a Muggle shop, anyway? It's not as though there's any shortage of coffee in Diagon. Imagine you could have it delivered to that fancy Manor of yours by the tonne if you wanted." She dragged the plate with the pound cake closer to her before Malfoy could steal it and smacked his fingers with her fork when he tried anyway.

"Part of my community service," he said, drawing his hand back to rub the ache out of his fingers. "I have to spend one day a week in Muggle areas. No magical interaction. I'm not sure if this counts against me, running into you."

"Count yourself lucky that you did," she said and gestured at his coffee with her fork. "You wouldn't have that chocolate monstrosity if you hadn't. If this is part of your community service, what are you doing out without any money? I should think that even the Ministry would know enough about Muggle life to know that you can't exactly spend Galleons anywhere in London. Well, except for this one shop down near Portobello Market, but that doesn't quite count." She smacked his hand with the fork again, then cut a slice off the cake and set it on a paper napkin embossed with the cafe's logo and shoved it across the table at him.

"I _did_ have money," he said after practically inhaling a bite of the cake. "At least, I started the day with money. I think I lost it somewhere. It's all funny, anyway, near impossible to keep track of. Paper money, who thought that up? It tears and wrinkles and blows away. Give me good, solid gold coins any day."

Hermione stuffed cake into her mouth, refusing to admit that he had a point. She'd wondered that about the use of notes herself. Coins took up more space, yes, but they were less likely to get blown out of your hand in London winds. Malfoy raised his brows at her and downed half his coffee in one gulp. He licked whipped cream off his lip and flicked a crumb of cake at her. "So that's what I'm doing in Muggle areas. What are you doing? I bet you don't live around here. Doesn't seem like your kind of place. Hardly anybody who needs rescuing or lecturing, for one."

"That's what you think." Hermione took a drink of her tea and shook her head at Malfoy's grin. "That's not what I meant. Stop giggling."

"I never giggle," Malfoy said with a huff and a poorly stifled laugh.

"You're giggling. I'd say chortling, in fact. Regardless - _stop that_ \- that's not the point. This is my kind of place. I work with an animal rescue organization a few streets from here." She finished off the pound cake and wrapped both hands around her mug, warming her fingers on the ceramic. "Community service," she added.

Malfoy tipped his head at her. "Voluntary, surely."

Hermione stared into her mug, then raised her head with a sheepish grin. "Well. It is _now_. It wasn't when I was fourteen. I, er. My mother caught me shoplifting. In my defense, I was attempting to snag some treats for a cat that kept sneaking around our garden. Looked half-starved and all I was trying to do was feed it, but I'd spent all my pin money on books already that month."

Malfoy covered his face and made a vague coughing sound. Hermione rubbed her forehead. "Stop laughing. She said I wouldn't be in trouble for it if I put in some time with the organization she volunteered with once a month when I wasn't in school. After she died, I stopped going, but I missed it. I decided to go back." She looked at the delicate watch on her wrist and nearly knocked over her mug in surprise. "Oh, god, I'm going to be late. I have to go."

Malfoy reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, holding her still. "Granger, wait. I, er. I had an idea. You're keen on rescuing the lost and bewildered." She glared at him and he rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. And here in this world, in Muggle London, I don't think there's anyone more lost and bewildered than me. Would it be possible for you to show me around a bit?"

Hermione stared at him, utterly lost for words.

Malfoy slowly released her wrist, his fingers sliding free and leaving a warm spot behind where he'd touched her. He tapped his glass, now empty except for a few spots of whipped cream and a couple of sprinkles. "You've already saved me once today."

Hermione slung her bag over her shoulder and looked at Malfoy, chewing on her lip. "I ... I don't know, Malfoy."

"Think about it, at least?" He looked up at her, hands held wide. "I think it's pretty obvious that I'm nearly helpless here."

She laughed despite herself. "That's true enough." She looked at her watch again, tapped one foot, and sighed. She dug a Biro out of her bag and scribbled an address on a scrap of paper torn out of a palm-sized spiral notepad. "Meet me here at two. That's when I take my lunch. We can talk about it then." She smiled at him. "You do need saving, Malfoy, and that's what I do."


End file.
